The Mastro Valvola TimeLab is a delay pedal from the Italian maker Mastro Valvola Pedals, first announced in January 20141. Mastro Valvola calls it a "multidimensional delay"2, and the design is unusual: rather than choosing between a warm analog delay and a clean digital one, the TimeLab is an analog/digital hybrid, with the dry signal and the repetition filter handled by the analog side of the circuit and the repetitions generated by digital algorithms3. It offers a choice of four delay types, an active analog filter and tap tempo with subdivisions3.
The four delay modes
The TimeLab's four modes cover a wide spread of delay characters, from dark and warm to clean and robotic. Mastro Valvola describes them as follows3:
| Mode | What the maker says it does | Delay time range |
|---|---|---|
| Digital | "a transparent and well-defined delay. Used to create a sharp atmosphere and robotic effects" | 0 ms to 1000 ms |
| Analog | "recreates the depth, warmth and nuance of the best analog delays" | not given per mode |
| Resonance | "offers all the naturalness, depth and warmth of the analog delays, but with the addition of a resonance filter" giving "a psychedelic touch with a flavor of period synth" | not given per mode |
| Modulation | "an analog delay which adds to the repetitions a multi-vocal choral effect, giving them range and depth" | 0 ms to 930 ms |
The Resonance mode is the hybrid design at its most distinctive: the analog warmth of the delay sits under a resonance filter that pushes the repeats toward a vintage synthesizer character3. Modulation mode, by contrast, layers a multi-voice chorus effect onto the repeats for airy, ethereal sounds3.
When the pedal was shown at NAMM 2015, MusicRadar reported that its four modes "reproduce four original delay sounds with exceptional sonorous quality"5. The suggested European retail price at that showing was 190 EUR, VAT excluded5; the maker's own product page later listed it at 239,00 EUR as of 12 December 20234.
Controls and tap tempo
The delay time control offers "soft pitch bending" when adjusted, according to the Premier Guitar press release that announced the pedal1. The Filter control is the other central feature: an active analog filter that shapes the frequency response of the repetitions. It is flat in its central position; turned left it emphasizes low frequencies, muffling the repeats, and turned right it emphasizes medium-high frequencies3.
Tap tempo is built in, with a subdivision choice between quarter notes, dotted eighths and eighth-note triplets3, so the repeats can follow the tempo of a song without tapping in a new rhythm by hand.
Where it came from
Mastro Valvola Pedals introduced the TimeLab as what the maker itself called "the highly anticipated new product by Mastro Valvola Pedals"1. At launch, the suggested European retail price was €190 VAT excluded5, with the pedal also listed at 239,00 €5.
The manual is available as a PDF from the maker, at http://www.mastrovalvola.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/TimeLab_Manual.pdf3.
For more on this category, see the site's Delay Pedals page.
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Questions
Does the Mastro Valvola TimeLab have tap tempo?
Yes. The TimeLab has a Tap Tempo function with subdivision choices between quarter notes, dotted eighths and eighth-note triplets, so the repeats can be locked to the song's tempo and rhythm.
What is the maximum delay time of the TimeLab?
It depends on the mode. In Digital mode the delay time can be varied from 0 ms to 1000 ms, and in Modulation mode from 0 ms to 930 ms, according to Mastro Valvola's product page.
Is the TimeLab analog or digital?
It is both. Mastro Valvola describes the TimeLab as an analog/digital hybrid delay: the dry signal and the repetition filter run through the analog part of the circuit, while the repetitions are handled by digital algorithms.
What does the Filter knob do on the TimeLab?
The Filter control is an active analog filter that shapes the frequency response of the repeats. Flat in the center, it emphasizes low frequencies to the left, muffling the repetitions, and medium-high frequencies to the right.
Where can I find the TimeLab manual?
Mastro Valvola hosts the TimeLab manual as a PDF on its own site, at mastrovalvola.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/TimeLab_Manual.pdf, linked from the TimeLab product page.
Sources (5)
- Mastro Valvola Launches TimeLab Delay Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2015-01-13
- TimeLab - multidimensional delay - Mastro Valvola, Mastro Valvola, 2023-05-23
- Mastro Valvola pedals, Mastro Valvola, 2023-05-23
- Love Buzz, Mastro Valvola, 2023-12-12
- NAMM 2015: Go multidimensional with MVP's new TimeLab delay pedal, MusicRadar, 2015-01-20